- What do you make when you can’t decide between chocolate cookies and vanilla cookies? How about a batch of Half and Half Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sugar & Spice. These cookies have a kind of ying-yang effect, where two opposite colors of cookie dough meet without bleeding into one another. One side is a bittersweet chocolate cookie that will easily satisfy your inner chocoholic, while the other side is a vanilla-scented dough that gives you a classic chocolate chip cookie flavor. The cookies look dramatic and taste even better – especially if you serve them up with a glass of milk.
- Another dessert that will tempt cookie-lovers is the Strawberry Oatmeal Cookie Cobbler from Crepes of Wrath. Strawberries are the star of this summery fruit cobbler, and they’re combined with apples and pears to give the cobbler a little extra body and texture. The topping is a buttery oatmeal cookie dough that would be good with just about any kind of fruit that you can think of. Serve generous scoops of this up with cold vanilla ice cream or dollops of whipped cream for a perfect end to a summer dinner.
- Olive oil can be delicious in baked goods because its uniquely peppery, fruity flavor can make cakes and muffins much more complex and delicious than they would be with a plainer oil. Hungry Rabbit‘s Orange Olive Oil Walnut Cake is a great example of a recipe where olive oil really shines. Orange juice brings out the citrus notes in the oil, while walnuts bring out some of its smoother and more buttery characteristics. This lovely looking bundt cake also happens to be completely vegan, and since it is full of heart-healthy ingredients, you can feel very good about going back for seconds after you finish that first slice. It’s a great cake for dessert, but it is also a good brunch option if you prepare it the night before.
- You’ll find an unexpected ingredient in The Kitchen Paper‘s Black Pepper Snickerdoodles. Classic snickerdoodles have a vanilla sugar cookie that is rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar that gives the cookies a distinctive look and adds some spice to each bite. In this version, black pepper is incorporated into both the cookie dough and the cinnamon spice rub for an unexpected kick that actually contrasts well with the sweet cookie base. These cookies could make a great ice cream sandwich, adding a layer of sophistication to an otherwise ordinary dessert.
- My kitchen is always filled with berries during the summer, and no matter how many berry recipes I have, I find that I always need more. The Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars from Savory Style are a tasty and quick way to use up extra blueberries in a low maintenance dessert, where the same oatmeal crumb mixture serves as both the crust and topping. The blueberries develop a deep sweetness as they bake and they’ll make your guests think that you spent a lot longer than 10 minutes prepping these bars before baking. Unlike fruit crisps and cobblers, these bars also travel very well and are an excellent choice for packing up for a trip to the beach or for a Sunday picnic.